Throw The Book At Former Lawmaker

July 27, 1999

It's Judgment Day for Bolley "Bo" Johnson, convicted of tax evasion for failing to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in income, much of it earned during his tenure as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.

Please go back and read that paragraph again.

Now, raise your hand if you think it's appropriate for U.S. District Judge Lacey Collier to go easy on Johnson, as dozens of Bo's friends have urged in letters to the judge.

Collier could send Johnson to prison for 12 years for his conviction on four counts of filing false tax returns; Johnson's wife, Judi, who was convicted of three counts, could get nine years. Sentencing guidelines call for only 21 to 27 months.

Those who urge leniency mention the couple's deep religious faith, their devotion to family, and their claim that the money went unreported because of sloppy bookkeeping, not fraud. The idea that a top legislative leader and a state sales tax analyst could have such a hard time managing the family budget makes us more than a little uneasy, but if the judge wants to factor those things into his decision, then fair enough.

But we can't agree with folks like U.S. Rep. Joe Scarborough, whose letter beseeches Collier to "consider the entirety of Mr. Johnson's record of service to the people."

Or rather, we agree that the judge should consider that record -- then throw the book at Bo.

Johnson and his wife failed to report $452,675 they received in consulting fees from health care companies, gambling interests, a major road contractor, a Tallahassee lobbying firm and several other companies doing business with the state in 1992 and 1994-96.

Johnson, a Democrat from Milton, spent 16 years in the Legislature, the last two as House Speaker, before retiring in 1994 to begin a new career as -- surprise! -- a lobbyist.

Such unholy associations are all too common and perfectly legal, which is a subject for another day. Politicians who want us to believe they can make six digits on the side without compromising the public trust are insulting our intelligence, but all we can do is take their word for it, or not.

But there's no gray area in Johnson's case. Failure to pay taxes is stealing, and failure to pay taxes on nearly half a million dollars is stealing a lot.